Small Cabin

Small Cabin Forum
 - Forums - Register/Sign Up - Reply - Search - Statistics -

Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Outhouse decomposition
Author Message
Patgreat
Member
# Posted: 28 Oct 2011 11:48
Reply 


I am new to this website and its awesome. While I did not build my cabin it was giving to me by my grandfather and I have been working on improvements ever since.

I have an outhouse and I was wondering if anyone uses anything special to help decompose the waste. My outhouse is over a concrete tank that needs to be pumped out every few years. I have heard that you can put certain things in to help breakdown the waste, like lime or Yeast. If any one has any suggestions I am all ears. Thanks

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 28 Oct 2011 12:12
Reply 


It is wonderful to have a cabin filled with much family history! Welcome to the forum.

We have an outhouse that also is over a holding tank. We have used it for three years now and have been adding a liquid product called Thetford CampaChem. It works very well and we get it at Walmart-though not all of them carry it. It keeps it from getting stinky.

How big is your tank? How much do you spend when you get it pumped out?

Any pics of the cabin? or outhouse?

Patgreat
Member
# Posted: 28 Oct 2011 13:09
Reply 


thanks for help i will check that product out. attached is a picture of my outhouse, which i need to re-side in the next few years and a picture of my cabin last winter.

I do not know what it cost to pump it out last time we did it was about 5 years ago and my father paid for it as a birthday present. My grandfather left the cabin to me but my parents use it all the time. In return for the improvements my father picks up some of the bills from time to time, its a nice arrangement. I am sure you will see more of my posts on the forrum i have a number of projects i want to do up there.

thanks again
outhouse
outhouse
cabin
cabin


trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 28 Oct 2011 13:28
Reply 


wow, that is a large cabin! It sounds like a very nice arrangement. Did you spend a lot of time there growing up? Where is your cabin? The snow is pretty.

We have found this forum to be very helpful, so you've come to the right place for those projects. Seems somebody usually has an answer for you-most likely cause they have first hand experience with that issue. That is what we like.

Patgreat
Member
# Posted: 1 Nov 2011 19:09
Reply 


My cabin is in the Delaware state forest by Bushkill falls PA. It is one of the larger one in the area. It used to be two unites with each one having a kitchen, living room and bedroom. I have combined the two to form a two bedroom cabin with a fishing room in one of the kitchens. I have been going up there my whole life, I am very lucky. Its about two hours from where I live by Philadelphia so I try to get up as much as possible, probably 15 weekends a year.

This website seems awesome so far, I have a ton of project and improvements that I need to do and as you know if someone does not have a cabin they do not understand the issues with improvements and obstacles you face. Thanks for your advice I check out that stuff and it seems like it should really help.

TomChum
Member
# Posted: 1 Nov 2011 23:38
Reply 


Quoting: trollbridge
It is wonderful to have a cabin filled with much family history!


That was nice of your Grampa to empty the outhouse of its 'family history'. ;-)

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 2 Nov 2011 00:10
Reply 


Some of the Thetford chemicals contain formaldehyde. Those are not going to aid the decomposition. They will stop it. They will help with the odors, but are not friendly to septic action. They have some that have no formaldehyde and those are more septic friendly.

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 2 Nov 2011 08:05
Reply 


MtnDon is right. I was assuming your tank is a holding tank only. That is what we have. If you have a conventional septic system where it enters a holding tank but then eventually gets pumped to a drain field or mound then you would want to make sure they are septic safe. There is a website if you google it that answers many questions. We use the stuff with formaldehyde and have no odor problems. Then you can tell everybody "your s*** don't stink" too :)

Your reply
Bold Style  Italic Style  Underlined Style  Thumbnail Image Link  Large Image Link  URL Link           :) ;) :-( :confused: More smilies...

» Username  » Password 
Only registered users can post here. Please enter your login/password details before posting a message, or register here first.